Heart of the Sword
by Alithiel and Arlyssa
Summary: Three years after the fall of the Aethersphere, a familiar evil once again threatens the planet. Can the Swordian Masters save the world…again?
1. Reunion

HEART OF THE SWORD By: Alithiel  
  
Disclaimer: Hi! This is a video game fic based off of the Namco game 'Tales of Destiny', probably one of the best old school RPGs out there! If you haven't played the game all the way through, I recommend you turn back, 'cause there WILL be spoilers! If you haven't played the game at all, you probably won't get it anyway. I wrote this fic because it REALLY ticked me off how the ended the game! *Sniff * Just to be clear, I do not own the game, the characters, or the Swordians. I do own Sariless, though, and you can't have her! HA! *cough *  
  
Chapter 1: Reunion.  
  
~High in the sky, The Aethersphere hung low over the Earth, casting a shadow like the very precursor of doom. In the city below, hundreds of people huddled together, rich beside poor, noble beside beggar, unconscious of station, all eyes universally fixed on the sky above. Hope began to wane as all thoughts were swept away in a tide of fear. Suddenly, an enormous explosion rocked the shell, and brilliant trails of light incised the dark surface above. Large pieces of the shell began to break apart, falling harmlessly in the sea as the people watched in amazement. A loud cheer erupted from the citizens of Darilsheid. 'The Swordian Masters have done it!' 'Thank Atamoni!' 'The Aethersphere is dissolving!' 'Dycroft must have been destroyed!' A lone, cloaked figure stood far away from the crowd, watching the pieces of the sky fall like tears. Then, the figure turned and walked away. 'Yes, we have been saved.but at what cost?'~  
  
Stahn Aileron jerked forcefully awake, smacking his head on the bunk above him. A muffled curse escaped him as he tried to untangle himself from his blankets. The ghost of the dream still haunted him. He sat on the edge of his bed, unheeding of the sunshine streaming through the window. The light shone on his blond hair like fire. Again, the same dream! Why would he dream about the destruction of the Aethersphere? That was three years ago! He sighed, familiar sadness stealing over him. It had been three years, three years since he and his friends had destroyed the single force capable of tearing their world apart. Stahn himself had been drawn into an intricate web of betrayal and the thirst for power completely by accident. He had stowed away on the dragonship Draconis, and had met Dymlos there. Dymlos was what was called a Swordian, a sentient sword with elemental attributes. The Swordians were created at the time of the Aether Wars. Stahn scratched his head as he struggled to recall of the story.  
  
A thousand years ago, a comet slammed into the planet, throwing tons of dust into the atmosphere and plunging the planet into an eternal winter. The people searched for a way to escape. A group of researchers had been able to build floating cities that lifted people past the layer of dust and into the light of the sun. Unfortunately, the people who moved o the cities, called Aeropolises, felt that they the right to rule the people stuck on the ground. The Aetherians, as they called themselves, created a terrible weapon called Belcrant to use on the Erth'ers, or ground dwellers. That was how the Aether Wars began. Fortunately, the reserchers defected to the Erth'ers side, developing the Swordians to be used in their defense. There were six in total. The essences of the people who wielded them in the great war seeped into the core crystals of the swords, which acted kind of like a heart. They each had an element as well. Stahn's Swordian, Dymlos, was the Swordian of Fire. Only one Swordian was evil. Berselius, who had once been the Swordian of Light, had been taken over by Kronos, the King of the Aetherians, who was using Becrant to absorb land from the earth below to revive the Aethersphere and the Areiopolises. He even went so far as to use their friend, Leon Magnus, who also had a Swordian, as a pawn in his game. Leon had died because of it. However, Stahn and three remaining Swordians and their masters had been able to kill Kronos and destroy the sphere, saving the world from his tyrannical rule. Stahn sighed sadly. The Swordians had ultimately sacrificed themselves to destroy the Eye of Atamoni, which had powered the Aeropolises. The destruction of the eye had destroyed the Aethersphere as well. But, he thought bitterly, it would never bring them back. He sighed again, standing slowly from his seat on the bed. It's gonna be a long day, he thought as he dressed in plain clothes and combed his blond hair. There was a knock on his bedroom door. "Stahn! Grandpa's already left, and you have company!!" "Coming, Lilith!" His younger sister was waiting for him outside of the room. She noticed the melancholy expression in his blue eyes: she had become very familiar with that look over the past three years. In fact, the only time she had really seen him smile was when he spoke of his companions. It worried her and her grandfather, whom Stahn lived with even though he was 22 years old, beyond words. Lilith looked thoughtfully at her older brother. I think it's time I found a nice girl to settle down with. "There you are!" She scolded playfully, hoping to elicit even a small smile from him. "I thought you'd never get done.you're worse than a girl, Stahn! You've kept her waiting!" He stuck his tongue out at her, then proceeded into the main room of the house, his curiosity at who was here getting the better of him. A figure clothed in white priestess robes stood by the large window, looking out into the streets of Lienea. At the sound of steps, it turned. "Philia!" Stahn exclaimed. The Swordian Master of Clemente, the Swordian of Thunder, laughed and lowered her hood. "It's good to see you too, Stahn." She said quietly as she moved across the room to embrace her friend. He gave her a fierce hug, then stood with her at arm length, looking down on her. "Philia, you look great!" She did, too. Her hair had darkened slightly to a deeper green, and she now wore it in a single, long braid instead of the childish pigtails she always used to. Her large, violet eyes looked up at Stahn behind the same glasses she always wore. He smiled. Some things never changed. "You do too, Stahn. Are you taller?" "I think I am...I haven't really checked." He said, putting his hand behind his head in embarrassment. Philia giggled a little. "You never change. You grow, but you never change!" "So, Philia, what brings you to Lienea?" He asked as he pulled out a chair for her at the small table. She sat gracefully and folded her hands on the top. Plopping into the chair opposite, he draped his legs over the arm. He couldn't help but smile at her. "Why are you smiling?" She asked curiously. "I was just thinking how much this reminded me of when you had to come get me after Leon stole the Eye again. So, what's up?" "Well, it is a long story." "We got time." "Well, I came here to.to see you." She blushed. Stahn smiled at her, raising one eyebrow inquisitively. "No! That's not what I meant.I had a strange dream, about the Aethersphere and a cloaked figure." "I've had that dream, too!!" He exclaimed, nearly jumping out of his seat. "You have? Garr thought you might have. After I had the dream I wrote him a letter. I got a response, saying that he, too, had had the same dream. He also told me that Rutee had had it as well. However, none of the others had. It's very strange, really.only the Swordian Masters have had it." Her face took on a melancholy cast. "I wonder now if Leon might have had the same dream." Stahn shook his head. 'Don't even think about it." "It's so hard not to." Philia said brokenly. "I know." "Anyway.Garr suggested that the four of us meet somewhere to discuss it. Since Rutee was already in Phandaria visiting Mary, he suggested we meet in Janos." Memories of his first meeting with Rutee filled Stahn's mind. "Do we need passports? I remember the trouble I had the last time." Philia laughed. "I already have them. Besides, think about it this way, if you had a passport, then you would have never met Rutee. You'd probably never have met Leon in Harmentz, and never have been saddled with checking on the Eye of Atamoni. You would have never met Garr and I, and we never would have destroyed the Aethersphere. We'd probably all be under the rule of Kronos right now!" "I hadn't thought of it that way." "Not many people understand the sacrifices the four of us.no.the five of us had to make to save this world. We lost so much: the Swordians, Eileen, Baruk, and Raiker." "You lost more. You lost Batista and Lydon, too." "I've gotten over that." "I'm glad." Philia stood, smoothing out the skirts of her robes. "I am, too. When can you be ready to go?" "Right now, if you want, just let me get my armor and a few other things.by the way, how're we going to get to Janos?" He rummaged around the room, throwing stuff into a carry bag and strapping on his plain sword. "I have the Draconis. It'll take us where we want to go, like it always did."  
  
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The Draconis dragon ship was waiting for them just outside the gates of Lineia. Lilith clasped Stahn in a fierce hug, then looked at Philia with a challenging glare. "If you let anything happen to my brother, Philia, I'll be forced to be angry at you." Philia nodded. "I won't let anything happen. You have my promise." "Good. Stahn, be careful." "It's just a short trip, Lilith. It's not like I'm going to war or anything. Stahn's grandfather simply nodded as they boarded the Draconis. The pair stood upon the deck of the ship, waving enthusiastically. With a resounding roar, not unlike the creature it as named for, the monstrous gray ship rose ponderously from the earth. Turning like a floundering whale, it turned its nose toward the northeast and took off. He watched until he could no longer see the light glint on his grandson's white armor, or the shine of the young lady's green hair. He'll be fine, he thought. He'll be just fine.  
  
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The trip was very short, and they soon landed in the snowy countryside just outside the Phandarian city of Janos. Janos was right near the border of Seinegald, go it got quite a bit of commerce. It also got LOTS of snow. As Philia and Stahn entered the town, they noticed the people looking at them out of their windows or around the edges of doors. "Don't worry, Stahn," Philia said reassuringly, "They simply know that we are the Swordian Masters." The blond swordsman nodded, looking around nervously. "I don't think I like being a celebrity. It's giving me an uneasy feeling between my shoulder blades." The pair walked into the pub. It was unusually quiet for this time of day. Stahn took a look around, remembering when he had met Rutee and Mary. "It's about damn time." Stahn turned toward the back of the room. "It's good to see you too, Rutee." Rutee Katrea shrugged, purple eyes flashing with good humor. '"I didn't say it was good to see you, country boy." She said frankly, crossing her arms. The Swordian Master of Atwight, the Swordian of Water, hadn't changed in the two years since he had seen her last. Her black hair was still short, and she still didn't wear enough clothes. 'I thought yhat you would have at least gotten dessed in two years, Rutee. Guess I was wrong." Stahn teased. "Sh.shut up!" She hollered, balling her fist up and turning red at the same time. "Be nice, children." A tall sliver haired man stood up from the table, and his silver eyes smiled at the two new arrivals. He was dressed in the same armor as he had worn the whole time they had traveled together. His ever- present bow was at his back. "Garr.stop throwing your age in our faces." "Of course, Stahn." Garr Kelvin, King of Phandaria and former Master of the Swordian Igtenos, Swordian of Wind, shook Stahn's hand warmly. "It's been too long, my friend." He looked at Philia. "High Priestess." He said with a bow. The green haired girl laughed. "So formal, even after all our battles together? Really, Garr!" Garr laughed and kissed the back of her hand, then gave her a firm hug. "Thank you for retrieving our wayward swordsman, Philia." "My pleasure, Garr." Stahn looked more closely at her robes, noticing for the first time the wide borders of gold cloth around the hems. "I didn't know.congratulations." "Thanks.they needed a replacement after Lydon and Batista's betrayal.they chose me, for some reason." Philia shrugged. "She's the youngest High Priestess that Straylize Temple ever had. That's something." Rutee argued. They all sat down in the comfortable chairs in front of the roaring fire. For a while they talked about trivial matters, but soon got down to business. Garr took a sip from the glass at his hand. "Philia told you about the dream, I presume?" Stahn nodded. "I've had the same dream. I'm not sure what it means." "The dream scares me for some reason," Rutee volunteered, "And I wonder why Mary, Chelsea, Karyl, and Bruiser haven't had them.they came with us, too, right?" "It could be specifically directed at those who wielded the Swordians," Philia said, sipping from her teacup, "But the question is why?" "I believe I can answer that question for you." The voice had come from the front of the tavern, where a black cloaked figure stood, leaning nonchalantly against the doorjamb. Its arms were crossed insolently in front of it. "The answer is that I sent you the dream." The four Swordian Masters leapt up from the table. "Who are you?!" Stahn demanded, his hand on his sword hilt. "My name? Sariless. Sariless Levine" The mysterious person said, sliding back the hood of its cloak. The group found themselves looking into the face of a teenage girl. Her hair was pure, brilliant white, pulled back from her face in a high tail. Rampant locks of hair were tucked behind her ears, both of which were lined with earrings. Her skin was rosy gol in color. Burning emerald eyes took in the four people, and a delicately curved mouth smiled slightly at the looks of shock directed at her. "Whad' ya think I was, a demon?" Sariless swept off her dark, snow caked cloak. She was dressed in a vest of black leather reinforced with steel plating, and a pair of black leather trousers and boots. She also wore long black leather gloves. A rapier was strapped at her side. "Well? Don't you have anything to say?" She asked insolently. Garr looked at the girl suspiciously while the others gaped silently. With a disconsolate sigh, Sariless tossed her cloak across the chair closest to he fire and sprawled on top of it, throwing one leg over the arm an lounging like some sort of cat. "Figures.I'm forced to cast my lot with a bunch of brainless sots without the ability to speak. Would one of you kindly replace your tongue back in your head and say something already? I'm not getting any younger." "Why did you send us the dreams?" Garr asked. "Who are you?" Stahn stammered. "Why are you here?" Philia inquired. "Where did you get those cool gloves?" Rutee asked. Sariless clapped her hands together childishly in mock glee. "Amazing! You can speak! I hope you all don't want a cookie for that.I only have one left and I really don't want a bloody brawl on my hands." Garr sighed painfully, rubbing his forehead with his hand. "All right, who are you, where are you from, and what is your purpose here?" "Good, someone with direction. I already told you my name, so let's move it along. I was born in Calvalese. We've never really gotten along with you mainlanders. Anyway, I was living in Calvalese when the Aethersphere formed. I was mighty freaked out about it. Things were just a bit uncomfortable there, so I took my first opportunity and stowed away on a ship to Sienegald. It was there when I first heard about the Swordians and their masters. Yes, I know who all of you are, Stahn, Philia, Rutee and Garr. I couldn't turn around without hearing your names spoken somewhere. I had been staying in Darilsheid when the sphere was destroyed. I was happy, to say the least, but for some reason I felt that there had been an unnecessary sacrifice for it. I had no idea why, so I just put it out of my mind. I didn't think anything of it for the longest time. I settled in the city, and got a job at the palace as a cook." Sariless began to mumble to herself. ".if I have to hear that chef go on one more time about Queen's Delight." "What does this have to do with anything?" Rutee asked rudely. "I'm getting to that, Miss 'I-wear-this-cause-I-think-I'm-skinny'. One day, not too long ago, I had to go down to the docks on an errand for that idiot chef. I was standing and soaking in the breeze when I noticed something shiny and kind of glowing in the water. Thinking it might be some cash, I reached in and grabbed it. The minute I did, my hand started to burn, like it was melting or something. I yanked my hand out of the water as fast as I could, and when I did, it looked like this." Sariless removed the glove from her right hand. In the top of her hand was embedded a circular jewel. Slender filaments of dark metal, thicker in some places than others, wrapped around each finger and knuckle, winding up her arm half the distance to her elbow, and silver caps covered each fingertip, almost like a metal gauntlet. She turned her hand, palm up for a moment. In the center of her palm was a spiral of the strange dark silver, shot through with black filaments. When Sariless as sure they had all gotten a good look, she turned her hand over again. The strange jewel glowed a sullen violet color, and then spoke. ~Greetings, Swordian Masters.~ The four masters let out a gasp of surprise, staring at the stone attached to her hand in wonder. "Chaltier?!" ~Yes, it's I.~ The Swordian of Earth replied. "But you should be DEAD! Leon.The Eye." Philia exclaimed. ~.wasn't enough to destroy us." "Us." Garr murmured. "They're alive!" Philia said happily. Stahn was in shock. "Did you say.us? What do you mean?! Explain!" Patience, Stahn. After the explosion, the six Swordian core crystals from Dymlos, Clemente, Atwight, Igtenos, Berselius, and myself fell into the sea, along with the fragments of the Aethersphere. We were weak and low on energy, so we entered a dormant sleep. Clemente, Dymlos, Atwight, and Igtenos were perfectly willing to fade away entirely and remain in their sleep, them thinking their work was done. They had also been immensely shocked that they had survived the Eye of Atamoni's destruction. The six of us drifted apart on the ocean currents. I had been drifting a long time when a gentle hand had picked me up from the sea. I immediately latched on, and I made the right choice, apparently. But, when I was plucked from the sea, I felt a familiar vibration on the air. Berselius is also out, and attached to a human.~ "What!?" Stahn gasped. "Who?" "We don't know." Sariless answered, her insolent shell dropping for just a moment. "But we gotta stop him." "Why? Berselius was only evil because of Kronos, right? Wouldn't he return to normal when he was destroyed?" Philia asked. ~That is what one would assume, Philia, but in this case it was not so. Berselius was extremely put out that the Aethersphere had not completely destroyed the earth. His time possessed by Kronos left him undeniably corrupted. He intends to use his powers to get revenge on you, the Swordian Masters.~ "Why us?" Garr asked. ~Because you were the ones who ultimately caused his downfall. That's why Kronos and Berselius were so pleased when my Master, Leon Magnus, played right into his hands. When you meant him in Dycroft, Kronos made Leon attack you, thinking that you would not harm a companion and that he would be rid of you easily. However, Leon begged you to kill him. That changed things, and the King of the Aetherians was not pleased. He wants revenge: he wants to kill you.~ "So what you're saying is that the other Swordians are alive somewhere, and that we need them so we can stop Berselius again." Rutee concluded. ~Yes.~ "But they're only core crystals." ~Yes, right again.~ "Woah.she's on a roll! Any more pearls of wisdom, oh great Captain Obvious?" Sariless laughed at her own joke. "Shut up." Rutee said, scowling. "I think Rutee's met her match." Philia whispered to Stahn He nodded. "Yeah." "But why dreams? Why not just tell us yourself?" Garr asked Chaltier. ~I instructed Sariless to send you the dreams.~ Chaltier continued. ~It would have been too risky just to find you each individually and tell you. Berselius doesn't know that I am bonded with a human as well, so he thinks no one can stop him. I had to get you all together as a group to tell you of what happened. You need to find the other Swordian Core Crystals and bond with them. We have to find Berselius and stop him.before it's too late.~ "Oh, brother." Rutee sighed. "Here we go again."  
  
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Alithiel~ Yay! Chapter one done! You'll have to forgive me if I'm a little OOC in this fic.but T of D is my very favorite game ever, so I'm exercising creative license. I really despised the ending. as noble as the sacrifice was, it made me soooooo mad! Isn't Sariless awesome?! *Sparkle *  
  
*Other T of D charas look at Alithiel with murder in their eyes. *  
  
Alithiel~ Erp.O.o 


	2. Beginning’s End

HEART OF THE SWORD  
  
By: Alithiel  
  
Disclaimer: Hey all! Here's chapter 2.read and review, please! I hope you all like the story so far! Thank you to those two precious people who reviewed this humble story! Angels in disguse, you are!! Arigato Gozaimasu! Let me know too if it's easier to read. I do not own Tales of Destiny or Draconis. I do own Sariless and the bad guy, who as of now is nameless. Any suggestions? Enjoy the next installment.  
  
Love ya all!  
  
Alithiel  
  
Chapter: Beginning's End  
  
The noon sun beat with hammer blows on top of the young boy's head. However, he did not feel the heat even as he toiled in the barren fields of his birth. Sweat stung his dull green eyes as he pulled up yet another whithered weed in his gloved hands, tossing it into the sack at his side and beginning work on the next. The moment the weed left the earth, the raucious, crow-like voice of the overseer rang across the field.  
  
"Rest!"  
  
Gratefully, the boy rose and wobbled toward the scant shade of the scraggly trees that rimmed the edges of the field. Collapsing against one of the rough trunks, he uncapped his waterskin and took a drink of the warm liquid. Sputtering, he recaped it.  
  
~How are you today, my boy?~ The voice in his head said pleasntly.  
  
"Exhausted, master" The boy said wearily, rubbing his gloved hand absently. He always felt faintly dizzy when the vioce spoke.  
  
~Do take off this glove. I need the air and light.~  
  
Slowly, the boy drew off the battered leather glove. The brilliant sun winked off the blood-red stone, gleamed off of the wide bands of black metal encircling his right wrist. After a moment, the light was absorbed into the strange ornament.  
  
"Why do you not let me see you? Like you did before?" The boy asked, chewing on a hard biscut from his meager lunch bag.  
  
~Do you know, I once drew my power from the light?~ The gem mused, ignoring the boy's question. ~But, alas, the light betrayed me, plunged me into eternal darkness. Now, I shall have my revenge on the light and those who serve her.~  
  
The overseer called the workers once again, and the boy stood, beginning to pull on the gloves.  
  
"I understand the pain of betrayal." He said, pausing for a moment to look at the jewel. Bitter memories flooded his mind in a painful wave. Angrily he tamped it down.  
  
~Then you will help me, my boy?~ The jewel flickered eagerly, the crimson of blood.  
  
"I will help you, Berselius."  
  
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The Swordian Masters, including Sariless, gathered on board the Draconis the day following the meeting. Garr had expressed he need to return to Heidelberg and inform his Prime Minister of his extended journey, and also to gather supplies.  
  
"The Draconis cannot go everywhere. Besides, we must set up a search plan." He had said sensibly.  
  
Thse ship roared to life and lurched off the ground like an overgrown whale. Sariless bit her lip and clutched the table, knuckles paling in the strength of her grip. All the blood ran from her face, leaving it pasty white. Rutee looked at her viciously. "Is the little witch afraid of heights?"  
  
Philia gaped at her rude comment, but Sariless smiled grimly.  
  
"If I am, it is none of your concern."  
  
Rutee glared for a moment, then stormed from the room, slamming the door behind her. The three were housed in the women's cabin, a comfortable, low celinged room. Four beds, the fourth serving as a luggage rack at the moment, were bolted to the floor. Glass portholes were covered with thin curtains and looked out into the vast expanse of blue sky outside. Sariless sighed shakily, drawing her hand over her sweaty forehead. "Blast it."  
  
Philia smiled gently. "Pay no attention to Rutee. She's always been rude."  
  
"That's no excuse." Sariless sighed again, and risked a peek out of the porthole. The flight of the ship was much smoother now, and her stomach had finally stopped wobbling like a drunken sailor.  
  
"You should get used to it. Heidelberg is not far distant, but there may be a time when we will have to be here longer than a few hours."  
  
"I know." curiously, she turned to the priestess.  
  
"Philia.how did you find Clemente?"  
  
"Clemente?" Philia asked puzzeldly. "I was on a ship bound for Calvalese, when I heard a voice calling me. Stahn and the others didn't hear it. We went under the sea on a sea dragon, who took us to an underwater city. That's where I found Clemente."  
  
Sariless looked thoughtful. "Strange to find a lightning sword underwater."  
  
Phiilia smiled again, shrugging delicately. "I just take what Atamoni gives me."  
  
"You have a lot of faith in Atamoni, then."  
  
"I do. My faith is all I really have."  
  
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The Swordian Masters met in the main cabin a short time later. The ship was soon to land outside of Heidelberg, the Phandarian capital. Garr led them unobtrusively to a hidden entrance in the outer wall of the city that convinently ended in the palace library. The library held the most famous literary works in all of Phandaria, all stored on tall shelves that towered over even Garr's head. While Philia wandered among the shelves, looking as if she were in heaven, the others sat at one of the dark wooden tables.  
  
Rutee propped her feet up on the table. "Well, where do we start?"  
  
Garr looked at the gem attached to Sariless' hand. "Chaltier, do you know where the others are?"  
  
It seemed that a sigh came from the gem. ~Well.~  
  
Stahn leaned forward eagerly. "Do you mean you do?"  
  
~Not in this form.~ The stone pulsed purple, as if it was nervious.  
  
Philia appeared from around one of the shelves, a thick book in her hand. "This form?"  
  
Sariless grinned wickedly. "May as well show them, Chalt."  
  
~Sariless! Don't call me Chalt!"  
  
"Ok, Chalt."  
  
Another sigh from the purple gem. ~All right.I'll show you what I mean. Do not be alarmed.~  
  
The Swordian Masters looked at each other in puzzlement, then returned their attention to the Swordian of Earth. The core crystal on Sariless' hand began to glow a brilliant purple. The intensity increased until it was almost unbearable to look at, blinding the people sitting at the table. The light engulfed the chair the girl was sitting it, curtaning it in shining radience. When the light disappated, there was a translucent figure standing behind Sariless' chair. He was tall and thin and dressed in an outfit disturbingly similar to Leon's. His long hair was as black as night, and his violet eyes seemed to glow ereily in the dim library. His hands rested on the hilt of a scimitar.  
  
"I forgot how cute you were." Sariless grinned as a brilliant blush colored the man's ghostly cheeks and he rolled his eyes. The others were in complete shock, mouths wide open and blinking dazedly.  
  
"CHALTIER!??" Stahn stammered, nearly tumbling out of his chair in shock.  
  
'Yes, it is I.' The man smiled slightly at the young man. 'This is as I was, before my consousness leaked into this sword.' He patted the hilt at his side.  
  
"Chaltier." Garr sighed as he looked at the sword. "It has been too long since I have seen its sword form."  
  
Rutee glared daggers at Sariless. "You mean that you saw him like this when he attatched to you?! AND YOU DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!?"  
  
Sariless covered her ears. "Stop shrieking, dimwit! I can hear you fine!"  
  
The lens hunter's face turned a most unbecoming shade of red, and she lunged across the table as of to strangle Sariless. The mocking smile melted from her face like ice in a desert sun, replaced by an expression of fear. The girl raised her hand toward Rutee, and it began to glow with a purple aura. A crackling noise filled the air.  
  
"Please.don't make me use this on you." There was such a look of desperation on her face that Rutee's vengance fizzled out. Sariless was a mystery to her. Stahn watched the exchange. Was it his imagination, or were there tears in the girl's eyes as she made her threat?  
  
Sariless dropped her hand, and the crackling died away. Her face was pale as marble. Philia looked at her in alarm.  
  
'No that the bloodshed is over.' Chaltier cleared his etheral throat. 'In this form, I can feel the others.to a point, anyway. It uses a great deal of energy, though. With it, I can get a general idea of where they are through my affinity with the earth. Allow me to demonstrate.' The ghostly spirit walked to a large map of the world that hung on the only wall without shelves, staring at it unblinkingly. He began to glow vivid, pulsing purple, and the room was filled with murmuring voices. Garr tapped his index finger neviously against the table as he watched him, filling the air with a hollow pulsing noise in unusual counterpont to the whispers. Stahn was leaning eagerly toward the map. Chaltier slowly lifted his hand, placing a misty index finger on a location. A sizzling nose briefly filled the air, and hen he movd his hand there was a small, glowing green dot.  
  
Chaltier began to fade a little around the edges. 'There.there is one.' A quick flash filled the room as he retreated back into his core.  
  
Garr looked at the map.  
  
"It's Igtenos. He's in Frosthiem."  
  
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The group agreed to begin in the morning, without the Draconis and the attention it was sure to draw. Rutee caught up with Stahn as they left the library to go to their rooms.  
  
"Did you see Sariless? She would have killed me!" Rutee had to jog to keep up with his long strides.  
  
Stahn shook his head, his boyish face unusually thoughtful. Rutee thught it was a weird look for him. "No, she wouldn't. She was about ready to cry when she threatened you. There's much more to her than meets the eye."  
  
"Any more of her and I'm gonna be sick."  
  
Stahn rounded on her. This was the last straw. There was such a look of anger on his face that a spark of crimson seemed to gleam in his blue eyes.  
  
"When are you going to put your petty crap away and quit making her life miserable?" He snarled with more acid than he intended. "Two days and you already hate her! Why do you hate Sariless so much? Is it because she has Chaltier?"  
  
That bit beep, and Rutee was surprised at the sudden was of emotion she felt. She was taken aback by the harshness of his tone, but her own anger quickly grew.  
  
"Petty!? Don't you even CARE that she's insulted me!?"  
  
"All the people in Aquaveil insulted you, too. Do you hate them?" Stahn snapped.  
  
"Well.no. But that's different!"  
  
"There you go, then. You know it's not different. You're acting like a spoiled child who's had their favorite toy taken! Remember, she was the one who came to get us. If she leaves.if you leave.the whole thing's shot to hell!" He shook his head, then turned now-pleading eyes to Rutee. "Please, try to be at least civil, alright? We're in this together.whether you like it or not. Don't let your brother's ghost ruin it."  
  
With that, he made his way down the hall. Rutee watched his retreating back from the doorway of her room.  
  
"When did you grow up, country boy?"  
  
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Sariless' dreams were disturbed that night. She writhed around on the soft bed, probably the softest she had slept on in years, sweating and muttering. Her white hair was a tangled mess covering her face, her simple nightgown in knots around her.  
  
~The sky was dark gray, shifting in angry patterns. Lighting crackled. The battlefield was flowing with blood and the corpses of the dead. As it rose up to her knees, she saw brilliant light playng in the distance. She began running as fast as she could, nightgown dragging, through the waves of blood that threateded to swallow her whole. After what seemd like ages, she saw four figures, blades of multicolored light clenched in determined hands. They were fighting a great darkness, like a giant bat. Orange, red, green, and blue the lights shone, cutting the dark. The red burned brighter than them all, with a flicker of white within its firey core. The darkness laughed, then swallowed the field in a shattering burst of black. The lights flickered out like dying sparks. Laughing hystericly, the dark rose up to the sky, taking the dark couds with it and bathing the field in cold sunlight. She looked down, feeling a strange wight on her feet. Down into the dead face of Stahn Aileron. Panicked, she looked around. Rutee, Philia, Garr. All dead. She was engulfed in brilliant light as she screamed.~  
  
Sariless snapped awake, still screaming. She was in pain, horrible, searing pain. She struggled wildly out of bed from her cocoon of sheets, looking at herself. The dim light of the lamp showed what she feared. The pounding of feet coming down the corridor was lost to her ringing ears.  
  
Her nightgown was soaked in blood.  
  
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Alithiel~ Ahahahahahah! Done! Read and review, please! Erm.would that be a cliffhanger?  
  
Trowa~ Yes.  
  
Alithiel~ Argh! What are you doing here?! Didn't I tell you to wait in 'Facing Fate'!?  
  
Trowa~ *Shrugs * I was bored.  
  
Alithiel~ Bored?!  
  
Kento~ So was I!  
  
Alithiel~ Aahhhhh!! Kento!! You're in the wrong section! You're in the wrong GENRE!  
  
Kento~ He's here. *points to Trowa *  
  
Alithiel~ Shoo! Shoo! Go help Arlyssa! Leave me in peace!  
  
Kento~ Why? She isn't writing on her RW story right now.  
  
Trowa~ We're quite comfortable here. * Both sit down and start playing Scrabble. *  
  
Alithiel~ When did this become Wayward Anime headquarters? .sigh.  
  
ALITHIEL'S DUMB QUOTE OF THE DAY:  
  
"Hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo!"  
  
Athsmatic Luca Blight (Suikoden 2) 


	3. A New Day

HEART OF THE SWORD By: Alithiel  
  
Disclaimer: Hello, all! Here's Chapter 3.thanx and hugs to Rena Chan and Teefa85 for reviewing! Tell your friends! Nothing much here.it's been 100 degrees + even up here in the north! Nothing like chilling in the AC, reading, playing Suikoden Card Stories with my friends and, of course, writing! Hope you like the next installment! BTW: If my spelling seems off, it's because the spellchecker on my Jurassic computer is on the fritz, and my dad says that to fix it he'd have to format MY WHOLE MACHINE!! *Weep. *  
  
Love ya all!  
  
Alithiel  
  
Chapter 3: A New Day  
  
Stahn had been deeply asleep.  
  
Then he heard a scream. Adrenaline took control as he leaped out of bed, taking off like a rocket down the hall, nearly colliding with Rutee, Philia, and Garr who were headed in the same direction as he. The scream had broken off into tattered sobs once the group reached the source. Stahn wrenched the door open.  
  
"Sariless."  
  
The girl was huddled in the farthest corner of the room, arms wrapped around her knees. As they approached, she cowered back even farther. Her green eyes were wild in the flickering lanternlight.  
  
"Ss..stay away."  
  
"It's all right." Stahn said soothingly, trying to get closer to her. Her hand came up, glowing violet, ready to attack. He paused.  
  
Sariless shook her head. "G.g..go away.."  
  
"What's wrong?" Philia asked quietly.  
  
"Dead.you're all dead!" With that, Sariless' eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped limply to the floor.  
  
The Swordian masters looked at each other in shock.  
  
Garr walked over to her prone form, attempting to pick her up, cursing and nearly dropping her.  
  
"Damn! She's soaked.." He said as he deposited her on the bed.  
  
Rutee raised the lantern higher, trying to see the dark liquid that soaked her gown.  
  
"That looks like.blood."  
  
Philia gagged.  
  
"But.how?"  
  
Chaltier began to glow as he spoke.  
  
~Sariless is prescient. She sees the future, and it manifests itself in her dreams. Usually, she wakes in the morning with no memory of it. This will probably be the same.~  
  
"Wait a second. That doesn't explain the blood." Stahn argued.  
  
~It is real. The evil dream she had is showing one of your many possible futures.~  
  
"Many?"  
  
~The Swordian masters are not bound by the fates of men. They are Akahna, without destiny in the old tongue. No path you walk on is set in stone." The light faded.  
  
Rutee rolled her eyes as she headed for the door.  
  
"In that case, my fate right now is to go to sleep."  
  
The others trickled out, returning to their beds. Garr stopped for a moment, asking one of the handmaids to clean Sariless up and redress her. Stahn lingered, brushing her damp hair back from her clammy forehead.  
  
"Don't worry, Sariless. I'll protect you."  
  
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Sariless awoke late the next morning with an awful headache. It throbbed behind her eyes like a separate beating heart. Nonetheless, she rolled out of bed and dressed as quickly as she could. The others were already in the dining room when she got there.  
  
"Morning." She said as she grabbed a glass of orange juice. They all just stared at her.  
  
"What? What's wrong?" Despite her best efforts, concern seeped in, thickening her voice. As much as she didn't care to admit it, she had actually grown to like these four people, ordinary types who had saved the world. Especially the blond one. She grinned.  
  
"Hellooooo? Anyone home?"  
  
Garr just shook his head.  
  
"Never mind, Sariless."  
  
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The boy sat on the stool in the middle of the unlighted cabin. He rocked back and forth and back and forth. The stool legs hit the floor in rhythm, one and two and three and four, on and on and on.  
  
~Are you ready to go, my boy?~  
  
He looked at the shadow of the tall man standing in the corner. All black cloak and red eyes. A strange buzzing filled his head, like the noise of flies swarming rotted meat. He knew enough now that he probably wouldn't remember much come dawn.but that's how it always was.  
  
"Yes, master."  
  
~Is it time for revenge? What is revenge?~  
  
Louder buzzing.here it came.  
  
"The food on which I feed."  
  
~What is blood?~  
  
A shriek now.  
  
"The wine of which I drink."  
  
~And what is hate?~  
  
The boy faltered. The sound did too.  
  
~What is hate??~  
  
"Hhh...ate.hate.is .life."  
  
A flash of white teeth.  
  
The shriek became triumphant.  
  
~Very good, Ryukai.~  
  
The boy giggled again, hopping off the stool.  
  
"Time to go, Master, time to go!!"  
  
~Yes, it's time.~  
  
The boy dashed from the cabin, taking his shadow with him, dancing maniacally around a small dark hill under gathering clouds. The wind shrieked with him.  
  
By morning, he was gone.  
  
And every member of the farming camp was dead.  
  
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Alithiel~ OOOoooooo.scary!! ^.^ Read and review!  
  
*Swordian Masters glare at her angrily *  
  
Alithiel~ Ulp.  
  
Sariless~ Hee hee hee hee.  
  
TBC.  
  
Phrase of the Day!  
  
"Grandma's evil boot camp!"  
  
Yusuke (Yu Yu Hakusho) 


	4. Winds of Change

HEART OF THE SWORD By: Alithiel  
  
Disclaimer: Hello All! Sorry it's taken so long, but Arlyssa absconded with my laptop, and the last time my dad caught me typing fics on the 'public computer' he tried to ground me.thank goodness it was during the school year and I had an excuse! Anyway thanks to Teefa 85, Rena Chan and whoever reviewed that didn't sign (I'll call you Blank for now!). So, read and review! Thanks!  
  
Happy early Halloween!  
  
Alithiel  
  
Chapter 4: The Winds of Change  
  
The snow fell thickly around the five Swordian Masters, though the pine branches overhead collected most of the chilly whiteness. The cold bit into their bones like icy knives. Rutee was used to it, because she had carried Atwight for years, and Garr was used to it since this was his own country. He grinned to himself, even as he turned the collar of his fur cloak up a little more.  
  
He didn't want to tell Stahn, Philia, and Sariless that this was a Phandarian summer.  
  
Better they didn't know anyway.  
  
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Sariless struggled through the deep snow. Even though the Swordian Masters had been provided fur capes to keep them warm on their journey to Frostheim, it was never quite warm enough for her. Being from Calvalese, where it was eighty degrees in the winter made her incredibly sensitive to the cold. She shivered convulsively, trying to warm herself as she walked.  
  
"Damn, Garr, how can you live in a country this cold?!"  
  
"Quite easily, Sariless."  
  
"I'm surprised you haven't grown fur." Stahn muttered under his breath.  
  
"I don't think it's cold." Rutee declared proudly.  
  
Sariless rolled her eyes. "Amazing how the girl with the least clothes isn't cold."  
  
"What did you say?!?!" Rutee hollered at the top of her lungs.  
  
There was a screech as a flock of white birds took flight. An avalanche of frozen snow fell from one of the tall pines.  
  
.And landed right on Rutee, completely burying her to her neck.  
  
Sariless exploded into gleeful laughter at the woman's expression, one part shock and one part fury, as she tried to thrash herself out of the pile. Stahn and Garr rushed to dig her out.  
  
"Get me the Hell out of HERE!!" Rutee spluttered angrily.  
  
Sariless laughed harder, and even Philia couldn't suppress a giggle.  
  
Within moments, Stahn and Garr had her out. Shivering and blue-lipped she stomped over to Sariless. She stopped laughing, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes.  
  
"Oh, my goddess.that was.so funny.your.expression!" She started to laugh anew.  
  
Rutee clenched her fist, but before she could give into her urge to slug her, Sariless smiled.  
  
"Sorry I laughed at you."  
  
Rutee was shocked into silence.  
  
"An.apology?"  
  
"Yep!" Sariless grinned wider, looking at the others out of the corner of her eye. They looked at them approvingly. "We'd better go.It's still a bit to Frostheim."  
  
The four companions began to walk again, leaving a very confused Rutee behind.  
  
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They got to Frostheim on a chilly morning two days later. The main port of Phandaria, it had suffered greatly in the death of their former king, Sark, and when Belcrant had blown a chunk of their country to dust. But since the coronation of their new king, Garr, things were looking up for the city. The icy waters of Frostheim Harbor glittered like diamonds in the pale sunlight that filtered through low clouds, the ships on the surface looking like little toys. The group stopped a bit outside the main road into town. Sariless took her glove off to allow Chaltier to speak.  
  
"Chaltier, can you feel Igtenos here?"  
  
~Yes, I can.but he is very faint. He is weak.~  
  
"Yes, I understand that, but where?" Garr asked. His impatience and fear seeped into his voice. Stahn looked to his friend, felt sad. He could hear in his voice the same thing that Stahn had felt in his heart every day. The pain and sorrow of lost companions, ones thought gone until Sariless and Chaltier had arrived and changed everything. He laid a comforting hand on his friends' shoulder. Philia spoke.  
  
"Please, Chaltier, concentrate."  
  
Sariless' hand began to glow brightly violet as Chaltier sent his essence roaming the city. In a moment, the glow vanished.  
  
~The harbor.~  
  
Garr took off running.  
  
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Gulls wheeled high above the harbor. Chaltier's violet glow shimmered on the thin crust of snow on the stone wharf as he sent his seeking again.  
  
~It is difficult for earth to seek air.but I think he is in possession of the peddler on the end of the first pier. You must hurry.he grows faint.~  
  
Garr gritted his teeth. "You all stay here."  
  
Garr dashed down toward the pier, then slowed.  
  
"Must calm down."  
  
Feigning disinterest, fighting the adrenaline pumping through his veins, Garr strolled down the pier, looking at the sky. The peddler was a dirty sort, calling out his meager wares to the people hustling along the pier. Thin hanks of hair scraggled over his dull eyes. His filthy blanket was spread with pots. Garr had seen better pots in the trash heap, he observed as he got closer. The peddler smiled, revealing rotted teeth.  
  
"Morning sir." He said, grinning wider.  
  
"Why, good day."  
  
"Care for a pot sir? No finer in all of Phandaria."  
  
Garr nearly choked on that. "My wife said she needed a new one." He kneeled down near the carpet, feigning interest in the shoddy earthenware. A flash of green caught his eye, and he whipped his head around to get a look at it. There, near the hand of the peddler, lay a large emerald, set in a strange silvery oblong that made it look like a green eye.  
  
He faked amazement. His heart pounded in his chest.  
  
"What a magnificent gem! Might I be permitted to buy it from you?"  
  
The peddler's friendly expression was wiped clean, replaced by a look of cold anger.  
  
"That is not for sale."  
  
Garr's heart fell. Then a though occurred to him. Sariless had said that when she touched Chaltier, it had immediately attached to her hand. He had a plan.  
  
"Well, then.can I just hold it for a moment? I would like to. I promise not to run off with it. I would just like to tell my children about the wonderful gem I held."  
  
"Well. alright." He conceded reluctantly, handing him the cool gem.  
  
As Garr held it, soothing warmth flowed up his arm.  
  
"Igtenos." He whispered.  
  
And the world dropped from underneath him.  
  
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When he was aware of himself, he was standing in a grove of trees. A strong wind buffeted the trees, sending leaves flying around him in a spinning vortex. Despite the stormy wind, strong sunlight slanted through the trees.  
  
"Garr."  
  
He turned at the sound of his name, to face a man. He was his age, tall, dressed in emerald green robes of fine make. Long brown hair was braided down his back. But that was not what brought him short.  
  
He had the greenest eyes he had ever seen.  
  
"You're Igtenos."  
  
The man nodded. "Yes I am.it is good to see you again, Garr."  
  
Garr smiled. "It is good to see you for the first time, old friend."  
  
Igtenos held his hand out. "Ready?"  
  
Garr took his hand.  
  
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Stahn heard a scream from the end of the pier. He and the others ran to the end to see Garr crouched in the damp, clutching his right arm. Stahn, Philia, and Rutee watched in amazement as long tendrils of greenish silver wrapped around Garr's arm, burrowing into his skin. The green eye gem shone on the back of his hand, and his body was enveloped in green light. In a flash it was gone.  
  
Garr crouched panting on the stones, sweat cooling rapidly.  
  
"Garr, are you alright?" Philia asked anxiously.  
  
He just smiled and showed her his arm. Igtenos shone on his wrist like a green gauntlet.  
  
"Two down, three to go."  
  
The he fainted.  
  
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Alithiel~ Yay! There it is, sorry it took so long! I'll be faster, I promise.on case you were curious, I got the gauntlet idea from Witchblade.  
  
Read and Review!  
  
Love you all! 


	5. Onward

HEART OF THE SWORD By: Alithiel  
  
Disclaimer: Hi! Sorry it's been awhile, but Arlyssa needed my laptop and dad wouldn't let me write on his computer. But I have it back now! Yay! Thanx to those who reviewed, namely Rena Chan and Teefa 85.I love you! Garr is sneaky, no? Well, read and review!  
  
Alohomora!  
  
Alithiel  
  
Chapter 5: Onward  
  
Counciousness came slowly to Garr as he struggled to open his eyes. His right arm felt as if it were on fire. Slowly, his silvery eyes fluttered open. He very nearly panicked when he saw the unfamiliar ceiling above him.  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
A familiar voice spoke. "An inn in Frostheim." Philia smiled down at her friend, concern showing in her violet eyes. "How do you feel?"  
  
"Like hell."  
  
"After you grabbed the stone, you passed out." Stahn said in explanation as walked over from the opposite side of the room and sat lightly on the edge of the bed. "Sariless said that she did the same thing. I gotta say." He said lightly, looking at Garr's hand. "That looks painful."  
  
~Painful for us both, I would say.~ The stone began to glow greenly.  
  
Philia smiled. "Hello, Igtenos."  
  
Rutee walked into the room, carrying a tray. Sariless followed close behind her, and when she saw that Garr was indeed well, the anxious look fell from her face.  
  
"I see he decided to wake up." Rutee said flippantly as she set the tray down.  
  
"Under much duress, I assure you." Garr said, sitting up carefully and rubbing his arm. "How long will it ache?" He asked Sariless.  
  
"I'm not sure.I took three days." Her gem began to glow violet.  
  
~Igtenos?~  
  
There was an almost audible gasp from the Swordian of Wind. ~Chaltier? My Goddesss, what.?~  
  
~There is not much time for that, my friend. Right now, we need to know exactly what happened to you.~  
  
~All right.When the Aethersphere fell, I was thrown far into the sea. Content to stay and drift forever, I floated on the war current. However, I soon felt an irresistible pull, a compulsion to awaken. I washed up on the shore and was picked up by that peddler.~  
  
Garr snapped to attention. "The peddler! What."  
  
Stahn grinned sheepishly. "Actually.after you picked up Igtenos' crystal, he.paniked and." He paused, looking quite embarrassed.  
  
Sariless picked up. "He kinda fell in the harbor."  
  
The look of shock on Garr's face was enough to send the Swordian masters into peals of laughter. Even the normally quiet Philia joined in.  
  
"Don't worry!" Rutee laughed. "We pulled him out."  
  
~Well, that's fortunate.~ Igtenos coughed.  
  
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Sariless leaned on the rail of the balcony. Even though it was so cold, she couldn't help but stand outdoors in the quiet darkness of the night. She beathed deeply of the chill air, shivered, pulled her cloak closer around her.  
  
"Sariless?"  
  
She whirled around.  
  
"Stahn?"  
  
"You alright?" He asked concernedly. "I know how much you hate cold."  
  
"I'm fine." Sariless turned her green eyes to the sky. "I just had to see the stars. Did Chaltier and Igtenos find the next one?" She asked, pointing to her gauntlet.  
  
Stahn nodded. "Yeah. Atwight is in Cresta. Rutee is really happy about it."  
  
"Oh.I see." Sariless said sadly. "We'll find it soon."  
  
"What's wrong? You look sad."  
  
"Oh, I'm fine. Just a bit down. I wish I could help you more, Stahn. All of you, I really do." The honesty in her voice surprised even herself. Shaking her head, she changed the subject. "Does either of them think they can find who is attached to Berselius?"  
  
"No.why?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Sariless shivered, pulling her cloak tighter. "I just have this horrible feeling that I know the person who has it.I don't know who, but somehow I know them." Suddenly, she was shaking uncontrollably. Stahn moved to her in alarm, whipping off his own thick cloak and throwing it around her. He gathered her into his arms for a fierce hug.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Sariless. Go to bed, and if you do know anything, I'm sure it will be clearer in the morning." He recommended gently. "It always worked for me, anyway."  
  
Sariless smiled up at him. "You're such a nice guy, Stahn.I hope you never change that. But." Slowly she backed up from him, her smile turning sad again. "I hope it doesn't end up breaking you heart."  
  
Stahn as about to respond, but she vanished before he could. With a sigh, he turned back to the stars, cold in their dark sky.  
  
"I hope so, too."  
  
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Ryukai looked out of the tiny porthole of the ship. Of course, he had stowed away on this ship bound for Sienegald, as per Berselius' orders, but he wasn't quite comfortable with the cloak and dagger act. The stark, featureless blue of the ocean glinted in the pale sunlight. Disgusted, he turned his head away, returning to his chill corner of the hold. What good was light, anyway?  
  
Pain exploded in his skull.  
  
"Aaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!! NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" Ryukai fell to his knees as skull-splitting pain consumed his head.  
  
~The memory was painfully vivid. A hand held up a crystal point to a window through which incessant sunlight shone.  
  
'Wook, Sawi! Wainbows!'  
  
'That's right, Ryu, rainbows! With this you can have rainbows without the rain.'  
  
'Tank you, Sawi. I wove you.'  
  
'I love you too, Ryu-babe. Always.'~  
  
Instantly the pain vanished. Ryukai looked up through bleary eyes to his master. Berselius was livid. Saying not a word, he raised his hand, and the gesture caused searing, excruciating, consuming agony to blossom within his body. He screamed, crumpling to the rough wooden deck as the force of a thousand swords ripped through his flesh. With a whispering swish of an ethereal robe Berselius moved to Ryukai's side.  
  
~Never.do.that.again.~  
  
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The dream-space swirled with pale violet mists. Two figures met within the realm that lies between sleeping and waking, life and death.  
  
"Is all going well?" The smaller of the two asked.  
  
"Of course, Master." The response was uncertain.  
  
"Chaltier.I am not your master any longer."  
  
"You were lucky, then, that your spirit leeched into this space." A third voice said quietly. "Otherwise you would not be here, Leon."  
  
Leon Magnus sighed, gazing around his violet prison.  
  
"Right now I wish I had faded."  
  
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Alithiel~ YAY! Chapter 5 done! Have you figured it out yet? *Grins *  
  
Well, folks, I have a dilemma. As you may have noticed, I'm trying to throw a little romance into this particular fic. However, I do not know who Stahn should be paired with: Sariless, Rutee, or Philia. So, I need your help! Please give suggestions, I will consider them. THANX!!  
  
TBC. 


	6. Journey to Blue

HEART OF THE SWORD By: Alithiel  
  
Disclaimer: Sorry it's been so long since the last update, but winter blues have a way of sucking all the creative energy away. Thanx to all who were kind enough to gift me with a review and a vote! Here's the next chapter, so R&R please! As usual, only Sariless is mine, so if you wanna use her, just ask!  
  
Have fun!  
  
Alithiel  
  
Chapter 6: Journey to Blue  
  
The Draconis landed just outside Frostheim, in an empty stretch of frozen land. Sariless pulled her cloak tighter around herself, shivering a little in the rush of wind accompanying the landing.  
  
"Hell, that's freezing! I hope Cresta's warmer."  
  
Rutee grinned a little. "A bit warmer. Actually, not too much."  
  
"Do you have family there?" Sariless asked as the Swordian masters began to board. For just a second she had seen Rutee's tough façade drop, allowing a look at the person inside.  
  
"That's none of your business." Rutee replied, scowling. The tiny little opening snapped shut.  
  
Angrily, Sariless snapped back. "What's your problem? I was trying to be nice!"  
  
"Well, you sure aren't very good at it!"  
  
"Bitch!" Sariless growled.  
  
"Better bitch than slut!"  
  
"Look who's talking!"  
  
"Both of you! ENOUGH!" Philia yelled, pushing the two apart. "You both know there's no point to this, so why don't both of you back off one another?!" Her violet eyes flashed furiously. "Whether you both like it or not, you're stuck with each other till this is over, so DEAL WITH IT!" Instantly, the demure priestess had returned. "Now, we will be in Cresta soon." With that, she entered the interior of the ship.  
  
Rutee and Sariless remained on the deck, blinking in surprise. Garr and Stahn stood nearby, snickering.  
  
"You know what, Rutee?" Sariless said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Philia can be really scary when she wants to be."  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
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Stahn leaned against the railing, looking at the clouds below as the Draconis made its way north to Cresta. However, he wasn't thinking about the upcoming mission. His mind was obviously on something much different.  
  
Something maybe even more important.  
  
"Gald for your thought?" Garr asked, approaching him. The King of Phandaria propped his hip against the railing like any sailor would have done, crossing his arms and watching Stahn expectantly. Stahn leaned forward, golden hair covering his face and making it unreadable. He glanced toward the end of the ship, where Philia, Rutee, and Sariless were deep in conversation.  
  
"Garr?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Stahn stood a little straighter. "I know this is something I probably shouldn't ask a king, but." He paused, then continued. "Have you ever cared for someone so deeply, but known that others felt the same about you? Have you ever been forced to choose between one you want and those that want you?"  
  
Garr nodded. "So that's what this is about."  
  
Stahn's head snapped up. "Huh?"  
  
"Don't look so surprised. This is about the girls, right?"  
  
Stahn blushed so red that Garr wasn't able to suppress his snicker.  
  
"I knew it. Look," he pointed to the girls, who were laughing about something, "I know that they all have feelings for you. That much is obvious. And it's obvious that you care about them too. But, the question is who you see as a sister, and who you see as more. That's your choice, and I can't give you advice on it. Your heart will have to decide."  
  
"What if my heart leads me wrong?"  
  
Garr sighed in exasperation. "I don't know much about women, Stahn. But if it's one of those three you can't go wrong. And besides, " he added, "your heart is very smart. It will choose well."  
  
Stahn grinned sheepishly. "Did I just receive a dressing-down from Phandaria's royalty?"  
  
Garr winked. "You bet." He put both hands on is hips.  
  
"So, tell me.which is it?" He asked eagerly.  
  
Stahn laughed as he started walking away. "Can't tell you yet."  
  
The green gem in his gauntlet glittered brightly.  
  
~Really now, did you feel it necessary to be so nosy?~ Igtenos chided.  
  
Garr laughed. "Of course!"  
  
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There was too much noise here, Ryukai decided as he walked down the gangplank and into the port of Darilsheid. However, the noise was a good cover for him as he meandered about. During his time on the ship, he learned to control the incredible power that Berselius gave him. Soon, he had mastered the art of high-level magic, so quickly that his master had allowed him his personality back for a short while. But, now.  
  
He looked down at his gloved right hand. Since the addition of Berselius, he had taken to wearing black and blood red.  
  
Now, his mind was a chaotic mix of memories. Past memories, visions of the future, and the howling of countless lost souls filled his mind with their incessant noise. The bustle of the city blended perfectly, giving him some relief from their screams, but no amount of sound could get rid of the taste in his mouth.  
  
The foul copper taste of blood.  
  
~You know what to do.~ The voice in his head whispered.  
  
Ryukai pulled his dark hood up, obscuring his face from view. He made his way toward the city proper, as the ship he had just disembarked from exploded.  
  
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The Draconis touched down just outside of Cresta. Situated on a grassy plain, the small city had been lucky enough not to suffer too much during the Second Aether War. Its biggest loss had been the Prototype Lens, a special Lens that had protected the town from monster invasion. Since its use in the Prototype Lens Cannon, the city had been plagued with attacks from wandering monsters. But now there was a city watch that took care of the problems.  
  
Rutee took a deep breath of fresh air. "Lovely."  
  
Sariless swatted a large green bug that had landed on her arm. There were swarms of them flying around. "Not that lovely. More like buggy."  
  
"I didn't ask you." Rutee snapped.  
  
The group made their way into town, Rutee in the lead. Soon, she stopped outside of a small wood building by the far wall.  
  
"Hello! Anyone home?!" She called.  
  
Instantly, the door banged open and a group of children rushed out. "Rutee!"  
  
She dropped to her knees, hugging all the children it turn. "Oh, You're all getting so big!"  
  
One little girl with pigtails tugged on her hand. "Did you come to help Setoh?"  
  
Rutee looked puzzled. "What?"  
  
At that moment, a nun emerged from the door. She placed a hand over her heart.  
  
"Praise be to Atamoni! Rutee, you come at an opportune moment."  
  
Rutee stood slowly, purple eyes serious. "What's the problem?"  
  
"Setoh.is dying."  
  
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Rutee kneeled beside the sick child's bed. The little boy, though thoroughly covered, was shivering horribly and covered in sweat. Rutee laid a hand on his forehead.  
  
"His fever is very high, and his body seems swollen.this is all symptoms of a severe allergic reaction.When did this happen?"  
  
The sister looked down at her feet sadly. "He was stung by one of the green bees out in the meadow two days ago."  
  
"Green bees?" Philia asked.  
  
"Yes. There are swarms of them. Setoh has not been the only one stung, either."  
  
"What?" Stahn aid in surprise.  
  
"Many others have been stung as well, but their reactions were not nearly this severe.and they were all able to get to the healer in time."  
  
"Didn't anyone try to bring the healer here?" Rutee asked, drying off her hands.  
  
"Of course! But the healer wouldn't come, and we were afraid to move him."  
  
"She wouldn't come?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She said she wouldn't extend herself for a street rat."  
  
Rutee stood up. "Philia, take care of the child for me. I'm gonna go talk to this healer."  
  
Sariless nodded. "I'll come too."  
  
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The healer's house was incredibly fancy. Sariless whistled.  
  
"Geez, this lady's got cash."  
  
"No kidding'" Rutee said in agreement and she pounded on the door.  
  
"GO AWAY!" A voice called from the inside.  
  
"Open up, old cow!"  
  
"Buzz off!"  
  
That was enough for Rutee. She kicked the door in, and barged into the main room. The healer was lounging on a plush couch, wrapped in a silk robe. She was somewhere between old and young, with badly dyed hair. Her beady little eyes glared accusingly at the two women.  
  
"How dare you!" She screamed in a high voice.  
  
"No, how dare YOU!" Rutee cried, stomping over and grabbing the lapels of the healer's robe. "You'd be so cruel as to let that little boy die?!"  
  
"They couldn't bring him here." She spat.  
  
"So? Get off your fat ass and go to him!"  
  
The healer shrugged. "Why do you care? This town could use one less filthy orphan anyway!" She sneered acidly.  
  
Rutee rammed her fist into the healer's gut. With a whoosh of air that almost sounded surprised, the healer crumpled into an unceremonious heap on the tiled floor. Rutee wiped her hands off on her shorts.  
  
"Nice job." Sariless commented, looking at the prone doctor.  
  
"Thanks. Now let's find her herbs and such."  
  
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A thorough check of the upper floor revealed nothing in the way of medicine.  
  
"The stupid bitch! What kind of doctor is she?" Rutee groused, riffling through the drawers in her bedroom.  
  
"There's gotta be something we're missing, Rutee." Sariless said thoughtfully. "She doesn't seem to be really intelligent or anything, so it has to be something obvious...but what?"  
  
Sariless leaned one hand against the large bookcase that dominated one wall of the room. Suddenly she felt herself falling as the shelf swiveled inward!  
  
"EEEEEaaaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!"  
  
"Shit! Sariless!" Rutee rushed over to the newly made opening. Sariless was lying halfway down a set of musty stone stairs that spiraled into darkness. The silver gauntlet on her arm was glowing purple.  
  
~Sariless!! Get up!~ Chalter's frantic voice called as his shadowy dream- form hovered above her.  
  
"Damn!" She grumbled. "Do you have to yell so loud?" Sariless struggled woozily to her feet. Cobwebs caked her white hair and face.  
  
~Oh, good.~ Chaltier said in relief. ~You're all right. I was worried for a moment.~  
  
"Chill, Chalt! I'm fine."  
  
Rutee couldn't help but grin at the exchange. "It looks like you've found what we've been missing."  
  
Sariless put her hand behind her head in embarrassment. "Guess so!"  
  
Chaltier, meanwhile was distracted.  
  
~Rutee, you're not going to believe this. Atwight's here!~  
  
"What?" Rutee said, pulling out a small lens powered light. "She's here? Should've known."  
  
Sariless nodded. "Then, let's go."  
  
The pair made their way down the slick stairs, with Chaltier's spirit floating in front of them. About halfway down, Sariless paused.  
  
"Do you hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?" Rutee asked, holding the light up.  
  
"I hear buzzing."  
  
"Buzzing?"  
  
"Like bees."  
  
They began their journey down again. Soon they reached the bottom of the stairs, where a horrible sight met their eyes.  
  
"Damn it." Rutee exclaimed in shock.  
  
In the basement of the house was what looked like a giant beehive! Thousands of green bees swarmed over every surface.  
  
"I see.she released the bees herself. After so long confined, they were naturally wary of humans." Sariless shuddered.  
  
"...And they would sting the people, who would come to her for healing." Rutee finished. "Clever."  
  
~Atwight's in here!~ Chaltier cried.  
  
"In THERE?!" Sariless gasped.  
  
"How the hell we gonna get in there?" Rutee demanded.  
  
~Is that ceiling stone?~  
  
"DUH!"  
  
~Well, the last aura disk I was equipped with happened to be fire.~ He said quietly.  
  
"Oh! I get it! Stand back, Rutee!" Sariless extended her hand, palm out in front of her. The silver gauntlet began to glow with an intense brilliance.  
  
"FIRE STORM!"  
  
Crimson flames erupted from her palm, roaring through the stone basement. Rutee ducked as intense heat washed over her. The angry buzzing of the insects was quickly drowned in the roar of searing fire. In seconds, every bee in the basement was disintegrated.  
  
"Oohh. That was hot!" Rutee commented dryly, wiping dust off her clothing.  
  
"No kidding. C'mon. I don't think we're gonna have a problem finding Atwight now."  
  
Chaltier's spirit form looked relieved. ~She's in the corner.~  
  
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Atwight was placed on a small stone table. Out of the corner of her eye, Rutee could see a misty form of a woman with long hair, dressed in a healer's robe. The woman smiled before disappearing. Rutee turned her attention to the core crystal. Brilliantly blue, it was shaped like a large teardrop. She smiled. The intense heat of the Eye's explosion must have altered its shape.  
  
"I'm warning you, it's gonna hurt." Sariless pointed out.  
  
"I know." She said, reaching for the crystal. "I have to do this."  
  
She picked up the gem.  
  
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Rutee came to her senses on a beach. Sparkling sand stretched for miles up the coast, and shining water stretched beyond it.  
  
"Good to see you, Rutee."  
  
The person who spoke was the misty figure she had seen before. The woman's hair was brilliant blue, and her eyes were the same cerulean shade. She smiled warily at Rutee, as if she didn't expect her former master to accept her new form.  
  
"So.you're Atwight?"  
  
"Yes. I am. See?" Atwight held up her sword form.  
  
"Now that's weird." Rutee smiled. "I mean, seeing to of you at once and all."  
  
Atwight laughed. "That's the girl I remember." She held her hand out. "Shall we?"  
  
Rutee laughed as she took her hand. "You bet!  
  
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Sariless watched in awe as Rutee was enveloped in a blue glow. The crystal pulsed brightly as it attached itself to the top of her hand, shining tendrils of bluish metal coiling around Rutee's arm and hand. The threads rapped around her fingers in spirals, joining at the palm of her hand in an inverted triangle. After only moments, the light vanished, leaving Rutee unconscious.  
  
"Looks like I have to carry her." Sariless complained. But she couldn't suppress her smile.  
  
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"So.what you're saying is that the healer as responsible for the bugs?" Stahn asked, handing Sariless a cup of tea. Rutee emerged from the boy's room.  
  
"Yep! It was all her. She just wanted more cash."  
  
"Greedy bitch." Sariless prompted.  
  
"Tell me about it."  
  
Garr looked up from where he was playing with the children. "How's Setoh?"  
  
"He'll recover. Thanks to Atwight here." She displayed her gauntlet proudly.  
  
"You're lucky." Philia said from the doorway. "Chaltier was able to contact Igtenos quickly."  
  
"Yeah!" Rutee winked. "Thanks, Sariless."  
  
Sariless grinned. "No prob!"  
  
Stahn blinked in confusion. "You two. are friends?"  
  
"Yeah! Of course!" Rutee said cheerfully.  
  
"Didn't you know?"  
  
Garr covered hiss face with his hands.  
  
"Uh-oh.Stahn's in trouble now."  
  
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TBC.  
  
Whew! That was a marathon. so don't let my work go to waste! Read and review! And don't forget to cast your vote! The poll stands:  
  
Sariless: 2  
  
Rutee: 2  
  
Philia: 2  
  
We have a three-way tie! Let your voice be heard! 


	7. Leadless

HEART OF THE SWORD  
By: Alithiel  
  
Disclaimer: Hello all! Gomen for the unusually long wait between updates, bur I've been depressed and unmotivated to write. Thanx to all of those who reviewed (too tired to remember names right now! ^.^;;). Of course, review this one too!!! I no own T of D. No way.  
  
Chapter 7: Leadless  
  
Sariless shook her head in exasperation. "So.you can't get a fix on Dymlos or Clemente?"  
  
Igtenos shook his head as well, his voice sullen. ~No.~  
  
The Swordian Masters sighed in frustration. Two weeks had passed since Atwight's recovery, and they still had no leads on where the last two of the core crystals were.  
  
"I feel.like were running out of time." Philia added, her violet eyes concerned.  
  
Stahn paced the length of the Draconis' war room. They were currently flying toward Armedia and the Straylize temple. Philia had mentioned a seeress there who could possibly help them. A sudden thought occurred to him, and he turned quickly to the three misty forms of the Swordians.  
  
"Could you be being blocked?"  
  
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Ryukai glared out the window at the teeming streets of Darilsheid below. Lately, he had found that watching the herd of humanity from the hotel window had made him angry. Berselius had informed him that anger was a good fuel for magic, especially the blocking spell he had currently cast and was forced to maintain. No form of vision could ever find Berselius with such a powerful spell protecting him.  
  
He had changed in the time since acquiring the Swordian. Ever since he had touched it, he had ceased being Ryukai and had become someone else, a fusion of who he once was and the evil spirit.  
  
Ryukai thoughtfully rolled the crystal point in-between his palms. It felt cool to the touch.so like the one his sister had given him so long ago.He clenched his fist. He would find his sister.and pierce her heart with this crystal.!  
  
Suddenly, the shadowy form of Berselius appeared in the corner.  
  
~Ryukai! Drop the blocking spell NOW!!!~  
  
The boy did as he was told, quickly dropping the spell. After a moment, his master cursed aloud.  
  
~Damn them.! So they too survived.~  
  
"What is it, master? He asked as he raised the spell again.  
  
A sigh that sounded almost weary came from beneath the hood. ~Remember the Swordians I told you about? They are attached like you and I, to the original Swordian masters that we seek.~  
  
"The ones you wish to kill?"  
  
~Yes.~ Berselius lapsed into thoughtful silence. Then, he laughed coldly. ~I know how to make this easier. Uncover me, Ryukai!~  
  
Ryukai removed the black glove he wore, revealing the blood red gem embedded in his hand.  
  
~Be still boy. This WILL hurt.~  
  
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The Draconis landed as full night fell. They were only halfway to Armedia, and since it would be better to enter the Temple during the day, the group had decided to stop and rest a while.  
  
Stahn leaned against the rail of the dragonship, staring out over the waving grasslands. He sighed. They were till no closer to finding either Dymlos or Clemente. He turned his blue eyes to the stars in the night sky.  
  
"Stahn?"  
  
He glanced over his shoulder, looking at Philia as she approached him from belowdecks. She had a dark cloak thrown over her white nightgown.  
  
"You should be asleep." Stahn admonished as she approached the railing. The breeze off the grass caught her unbound hair and sent it flying in emerald waves.  
  
"I.couldn't rest." The priestess replied quietly. The two stood on deck in comfortable silence for a while, looking out over the scenery before them. After a moment, Philia cleared her throat. "Stahn? Do you think.something happened to them? To Dymlos and Clemente?"  
  
Stahn shook his head. "I really have no way of knowing, Philia. But I hope not."  
  
"I don't understand why we can't find them."  
  
"Well, the only explanation is a block.and even that doesn't hold much possibility, right?"  
  
"No." She said as she sighed softly.  
  
"Hey, that's not like you! Cheer up!" Stahn grinned stupidly. "C'mon, show me that pretty smile!"  
  
Philia couldn't help but laugh.  
  
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The Straylize Temple was enveloped in silence and strangely empty as the Swordian Masters entered its gates. Built as the center of the Straylize order of priests, the temple had been nearly destroyed as a result of High Priest Lydon's treachery three years ago. Even as the group made their way through the grounds, reminders of that betrayal were everywhere, in the form of monuments to the fallen priests.  
  
Philia lead the group to a small building off to the side from the main chapel. Simple in design, there where no guards posted outside this place as there where others. Philia bowed before the door before entering, the others in tow.  
  
"Who's there?" A voice called from within.  
  
"It is I, Philia, Magalia."  
  
The speaker became visible as they entered. In the center of a large, empty room sat a young woman, dressed in the robes of a Straylize priestess. A thick braid of seafoam green hair wound around the crown of her head, and her brilliant red eyes stared into space.  
  
"Philia." Her melodious voice echoed around the cavernous space, "It has been a while since you came to visit your elder sister."  
  
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"Blind from birth, gifted instead with othersight." Philia sighed. She sat by Magalia, while the others sat before the both. From this proximity, Stahn could see the resemblance of the two girls. "For years she has been a ward of the Temple, her gift for soothsaying valuable and yet abused."  
  
"Don't be silly, Philia." Magalia said curtly.  
  
Garr cleared his throat. "Lady Magalia, we have come to make a request of you."  
  
"Yes.you wish to know where to find the spirits of fire and light, correct? Such as you have found air, water and earth?"  
  
Garr blinked. Sariless could not help but laugh at his stunned expression. She could feel Chaltier laughing too. At least the Swordian appreciated good humor.  
  
"The spirit's you seek are well hidden, thanks in part to the dark spirit working in tandem with the kin of the violet spirit."  
  
Sariless felt her heart tighten at mention of kin, while the others murmured amongst themselves.  
  
-Ryukai.-  
  
She could feel the sightless eyes of the seer on her, and a nearly imperceptible nod gave her the answers she needed. Magalia cleared her throat.  
  
"Fire resides in the country of fire, and only by freeing it will light be revealed."  
  
Suddenly the seer turned her head, as if listening. "Someone approaches!"  
  
Seconds later, the doors of the sanctuary were opened, reveling a large party of warrior monks and a single, very angry looking priest. Philia blinked, then bowed, crossing her hands over her heart. "Father Martis."  
  
The little man stomped into the room, angry footsteps echoing off of the walls with a sound like thunder. "How dare you." He spat when he was close enough, livid. "How dare you show your treacherous face here!"  
  
Philia was stunned. Stahn stepped forward, his hand automatically on his swordhilt. "What are you talking about?"  
  
Martis wheeled around to face the swordsman. The monks tightened their hands around their pikes in a threatening gesture. "As if you do not know!"  
  
"Father." Philia said, determination a steel thread in her expression. "I'm afraid that I do not understand. What is it that I have done?"  
  
The priest reached into his robes, removing a sheet of paper. "Philia Felice, you are guilty of taking the life of human beings, knowingly and willingly, including the life of Lydon, who though a traitor to Atamoni, was on the rolls as High Priest." He threw the paper at her feet, where it fluttered like a dying bird in front of her teary eyes. Sariless was stunned.but she had never seen Stahn, Garr and Rutee so angry before. Tears were flowing out of Magalia's eyes.  
  
"W.why?" Philia asked shakily. "I have served the temple faithfully since my noviate." The priest barked out a short, ugly laugh.  
  
"Look at the paper.it has the signature of the Pope and the Bishop on it! So."  
  
He glared at her.  
  
"You have been excommunicated, barred from ever entering this sacred temple again. Now GET OUT!!!"  
  
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Dusk was falling once again.  
  
Sariless watched Philia from across the fire. Never before had she seen her look so very lost.and alone. Tears still stood in her eyes, and she kept mumbling 'murdurer'.  
  
She finally had enough. Getting up from her seat, she marched over to the former priestess. Philia barely registered the stinging slap to her face.  
  
"Sariless!" Garr cried out. Stahn and Rutee watched Sariless in shock as the tears finally began to flow from Philia's eyes.  
  
"Philia, you've got to snap out of this!." Sariless shook the older girl's shoulders, her own eyes stinging.  
  
"Atamoni shall never forgive me." Philia sobbed into her hands. Sitting down beside her, Stahn put one arm around her shaking shoulders.  
  
Sariless shook her head. "You're wrong, Philia. What you did was to save Atamoni and all her creations! Do you really think the great Goddess would want all she worked so hard to create to be destroyed by an ambitious priest?"  
  
Philia shook her head, tears beginning to subside. Sariless merely smiled.  
  
"I didn't mean to hit you so hard, but you needed some sense knocked into you. Now, come on!" Sariless tugged her hand, her old, cheerful smile back in place. "You and I are about the same size, so let's get you out of these fussy robes and into some REAL clothes for once!  
  
Dragging Philia to her feet, the pair entered one of the tents.  
  
"That Sariless is something else." Garr said.  
  
"More than you know." A voice called from the trees. The three Swordian Masters spun. There on the edge of the clearing stood Magalia, scratches covering her fair face, her priestess robes torn.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Garr demanded, even as he got up to help her toward the fire. She made her way over, seating herself on a log.  
  
"I could not leave my younger sister behind."  
  
~Here.~ Atwight said as her spirit form materialized from the gem in Rutee's gauntlet. Lightly touching the scratches on the blind woman's face, her misty hands began to glow blue, and the cuts slowly vanished. Rutee sighed, suddenly tired.  
  
"Ah, many thanks." Magalia sighed. "Now, where is Philia?" She asked urgently as Sariless emerged from the tent.  
  
"Lady Magalia?" Sariless asked in puzzlement, looking to Stahn for the answer. Stahn shrugged. Suddenly, his face went completely blank, and Garr went into such a fit of the blink-blinks that she was surprised.  
  
"Huh?" Sariless turned.  
  
Philia emerged from the tent, adjusting her glasses. Her green hair was down, pulled partially back from her face with a gold clip. The brown leather pants, green tunic to, and tall boots fit her perfectly. She adjusted the swordbelt, blushing furiously before catching sight of her older sister.  
  
"Magalia?" The seer's crimson eyes swam with tears.  
  
"Philia.your spirit is much more free now.this is who you are." Philia embraced her sister before turning her attention to her friends. Rutee gave her a thumbs up.  
  
"Looking good!"  
  
Philia laughed, then noticed Stahn and Garr blushing furiously. "What's wrong with you two?"  
  
Sariless and Rutee each put an arm around her, grinning at the guy's still stunned expressions.  
  
"My dear, you are."  
  
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Aha! Nothing' better than embarrassing anime bishies! R&R (read and review) Onegai!!  
  
*Ulps as anime bishies begin to chase her*  
  
Oro!!!  
  
Alithiel 


	8. Beginning of the End

HEART OF THE SWORD  
By: Alithiel  
  
Disclaimer: Yay! I get to write another chapter! It's been a while since I have been able to write on this story, simply because I've had other anime on my mind (i.e., Weiss). But now, I will once again write. Standard stuff applies, I don't own T of D, but I own the game, Sariless, Magalia, Ryukai, and the plot. There's going to be a little bit of POV writing in this chapter. Thanx to Teefa85, spiritless shadow, Luna339, and Nina Brani for reviewing! I LOVE YOU!  
  
Read and review!  
  
Alithiel  
  
Chapter 8: The Beginning of the End  
  
It's amazing how much a change of clothes can completely transform a person. Her entire attitude about herself has totally reversed.  
  
Philia gives me a funny look from her seat on her bed. That's abnormal in itself. The quiet priestess usually never looks anyone directly in the eye, let alone giving them funny looks. But then again, she's not the quiet priestess anymore. She's a strong swordswoman now, a real tough girl that oozes confidence, who's been through as much hell as the rest of us. Actually, she's been through even more hell. The rest of us haven't had to suffer quite as much as she has. Hell, she's probably even tougher than I am now.  
  
It makes me realize that this, this new person Philia's become overnight, is who she must have been all along. Deep inside, hidden, but there all the same.  
  
It's pretty cool.  
  
"Rutee? You ok?" Sariless asks me from her seat at the table in our shared quarters, a curious look on her face.  
  
"Fine."  
  
~Liar.~ I hear Atwight's laughing voice in my head. ~You're worried about Philia and her new attitude.~  
  
'Shut up.' I think irritably. 'I just don't want my sister hurt.'  
  
"Rutee? Can I ask you a personal question?" Philia asks bluntly. Wow, this is new. I didn't know she was capable of being blunt.  
  
"Shoot."  
  
In an instant the quiet priestess returns. She looks at her booted feet uncertainly, a slight pink blush rising on her cheeks.  
  
"What...do you think about Stahn?"  
  
I drag a hand through my hair. "Stahn? Stahn Aileron?" Philia nods vigorously, blushing even more. I grin. She LIKES him!!!  
  
"Stahn's like a brother to me, or a cousin. Why?" I respond nonchalantly, knowing damn well why. Her face heats even more, and Sariless starts laughing.  
  
"N...no reason." She stammers.  
  
A knock sounds on the door, and a moment later Stahn pokes his head in. Philia ducks her face out of sight. "We're going to be landing in Calvalese soon, Ok?"  
  
I can see Sariless' face fall. "Fine."  
  
He grins, then looks at the green haired priestess with a puzzled expression. "Philia? Are you all right? Your face is all red."  
  
"I'm all right. Just warm." She says very quietly. I snigger, earning me the beginning of what's bound to one day be the -Philia Felice Death Glare- .  
  
Sariless smiles sadly. "It's bound to get even warmer shortly."  
  
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The Draconis landed in a lush oasis just outside the city of Kalviola, the capital city of Calvalese. Situated in the middle of the scorching desert, it wasn't called the country of fire for nothing! When the first Aether War was finally over, the E'rthers banished those defeated Aetherians remaining to this desolate volcanic wasteland, and their descendants held a grudge to this day. Needless to say they didn't like mainlanders much, and the group knew it.  
  
The Swordian Masters disembarked from the dragonship, swathed in yards and yards of white cotton cloth to keep them cool under the hot sun.  
  
Magalia had asked to accompany them as they left, but was dissuaded by Garr. She sat now on the deck of the ship, her sightless eyes staring out into space.  
  
Sariless walked away, turning toward the group after a few moments.  
  
"Philia," she began, "I'm going to go get you a weapon. The people here don't much like mainlanders, so I can't guarantee the safety of all of you if you go into the city. I'll go get you something, they know me." With a nod, Sariless quickly entered the bustling city.  
  
Rutee blinked. "That was abrupt."  
  
Garr rubbed his eyes wearily, glancing up at the deck of the dragonship. "All you women are."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
~Shall we see if we can track Dymlos now?~ Igtenos suggested, his glowing spirit form hovering just behind Garr, trying to change he subject.  
  
~Let's.~ Atwight agreed. The two spirits shut their eyes, glowing brightly, and after a few moments the oasis was whipped with a cool breeze smelling strongly of rain.  
  
Igtenos sighed, his emerald eyes opening slowly. ~We've found him!~ Garr snapped to attention, fixing his eyes on the flashing green gem embedded in his hand.  
  
"Where?" Stahn asked urgently, blue eyes flashing with excitement.  
  
~He's being kept in a subterranean cavern. But...~  
  
"But WHAT?" Rutee asked, scowling at Atwight's dream form. She looked sheepishly back at her, cerulean eyes slightly pained.  
  
~Firstly, we have to go through a volcano. Secondly, he's being guarded by volcano-beasts.~  
  
"What?" Stahn asked, confused.  
  
"I read about volcano-beasts in my studies." Garr replied. "They're incredibly strong flame spirits."  
  
"How strong??"  
  
"Strong enough."  
  
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The dark tunnel leading into the volcano wasn't too far from the oasis. The fiery mountain rose darkly above them, and clouds of sulfur smelling gas clogged their lungs. Rutee coughed a little, pulling the white cloth of her head covering across her nose. Intense, bone searing heat and black smoke belched from the opening, and none of the Swordian masters could get even close to the entrance.  
  
"How the HELL are we supposed to do this?" Stahn coughed after a particularly nasty blast of smoke.  
  
"I don't know." Garr replied.  
  
Glancing at the gauntlet on her wrist, Rutee came up with an idea. "Atwight, can you help us out here?"  
  
~I don't exactly know...~ The Swordian of water replied uncertainly.  
  
"I'm sure you can." Philia said reassuringly, adjusting the weight on her back slightly. The only blade that Sariless had been able to get ahold of for her was a rather large broadsword, much heavier than Clemente had been. However, she had enough confidence in herself to use it. And besides, maybe they'd be lucky enough not to have to fight.  
  
~Thank you, my dear, for that vote of confidence.~ Atwight said wryly, her shimmering blue dream form floating toward the entrance. ~I don't know how long I can push the heat back, so let us just get through these caves as quick as we can.~  
  
The group followed close behind the dream form of Atwight, following the cool path of her wake, as they entered the sulfur heat of the volcano. Down a winding path they traveled, Rutee leading the way and Garr bringing up the rear, their way lit only by the blue paleness of Atwight, a slight green glow from Igtenos as his spirit floated behind his master, and the piercing violet radiance of Chaltier as he hovered by Sariless' side. Stahn looked up the small column at Philia, who continued walking, head bent against the occasional blast of hot air. She seemed very alone.  
  
They walked for what seemed like hours when, suddenly, the path before them widened drastically, opening into a large cavern. Blasting heat engulfed them as they walked onto a large stone outcropping. Stahn looked down in horror.  
  
The volcano-beasts were gathered in a large, bowl shaped area below them. Brilliant glowing red, the beasts looked like giant wolves made of living fire. A river of molten lava cascaded from another outcrop across from them, winding into a river that disappeared into another cavern.  
  
The beasts were hissing, looking at a short pillar of stone that rose from the floor of the bowl. A small, red light shone on top of the natural pedestal.  
  
"Dymlos!" Stahn cried, his voice buried in the roar of flowing lava.  
  
He felt the need to go down there, to reclaim his Swordian. Garr clamped a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Stahn, you can't. There's so many that you cannot do it alone."  
  
"But!"  
  
"I know." Sariless said, sympathy in her clear green eyes. "We need a plan. How are you doing, Atwight?"  
  
The instant they had entered the cave, the water Swordian had retreated back inside her crystal. ~I'm all right.~  
  
"Good. So, we have the Water, Wind, and Earth Swordians. I think that will be enough power to fight those beasts."  
  
"HOW?" Rutee demanded.  
  
"That's simple. The three of us go down there, casting spells like mad, and when we give the signal, Stahn will go get Dymlos. Philia can cover him with her bombs."  
  
"You don't have your sword." Garr pointed out.  
  
"Who says?" Sariless extended he gauntleted hand before her. The spiral of dark metal on her palm flashed violet, then a brilliant purple beam of light materialized in her hand. The Swordian masters blinked.  
  
"See?"  
  
After a few moments, Garr and Rutee did the same, looking in awe at the beams of light in their hands.  
  
"What disc were you equipped with before the Eye exploded, Igtenos?" Sariless asked.  
  
~Megalith.~ The wind Swordian replied calmly. Stahn shuddered. The Megalith disc, and Meteor Swarm, were very powerful.  
  
"And you, Atwight?"  
  
~Blue Dragon.~ She said,, naming the disc the baby dragon had gifted them with.  
  
"You'll find that the lights you hold have the same strength and magic of those discs. Sheesh, Chalt, you DID get the short end of the stick."  
  
~Sariless.~ The earth Swordian admonished.  
  
"Are we ready?" Rutee asked.  
  
Stahn looked at Sariless. "What's the signal going to be?"  
  
"Well...there's no point in casting a fire spell here, so the signal will be Fireball. Alright?" At a quick nod, She turned to the others.  
  
"Let's go!"  
  
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Stahn watched as the three of them leaped down the slope toward the gathering of creatures. The red animals immediately rounded on the group, hissing growing into roars that shook the cave. From his vantagepoint, the swordsman could see the flashes of light blades, violet, blue and green, as his friends fought. A sudden lout cry from Rutee, and one of the creatures was frozen in ice from her Ice Wall spell. Sariless backed her up buy shattering the creature with her Demon Lance spell. Garr shattered a whole line of them with Air Slash.  
  
"Stahn?"  
  
He turned his head slightly, looking at the former priestess that crouched by his side out of the corner of his eye. Her violet eyes were wide and fearful behind her glasses, and she clutched the small bomb in her hand tightly. "Please be careful." Philia said in a quiet voice.  
  
Stahn smiled, and on impulse gently touched her cheek with his hand. Her skin was hot and slick with sweat. "I will." He said, just as the Fireball spell exploded over the battlefield. "Gotta go!"  
  
He leaped down the hill, dashing through the path that the three had carved for him. He saw creature leap for him from the side, and just as it almost was upon him it exploded in a flash of white. He reminded himself to thank Philia when this was over.  
  
The pedestal was near. Stahn could see the crimson glow of Dymlos' core crystal... He felt the cold breath of the Blizzard spell as he leaped forward, closing his fist around the stone.  
  
"DYMLOS!" He cried, as the world went black.  
  
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Flames surrounded him, but they did not burn. They didn't even smoke. Stahn's eyes opened slowly, blinked once as he took in his surroundings.  
  
"So...you're finally here."  
  
The young man turned in the direction of the familiar voice. Standing before him was a tall man in copper colored armor. His vermilion eyes watched Stahn intently as he approached, the light of the fire rippling off his short, crimson hair. His hand rested on the hilt of the sword at his waist, a blade as familiar to Stahn as his own reflection.  
  
"Dymlos!" He breathed.  
  
"The very same." Dymlos laughed. "My you are stupid. What kind of companion keeps a friend waiting?"  
  
"Like you said, stupid!" Stahn laughed aloud ad Dymlos clamped an armored hand down upon is shoulder.  
  
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He woke up to the feeling of cool water being poured on his face. Stahn spluttered, his eyes fluttering pen to take in the hot blue of a Calvalese sky.  
  
"What?" He moaned, his arm and head on fire.  
  
~Stop whining.~ The dream form of Dymlos said irritably. His friends were gathered around him. Sariless sighed in relief, then winced as Rutee returned to healing a rather nasty looking burn on her stomach. Philia gave such a dazzling smile that Stahn couldn't help but smile a little in return.  
  
"How...?"  
  
Garr grinned, helping him to sit up. "Dymlos got us out." Stahn looked at his right arm. He could see through his shredded undershirt that thin, swirling bands of coppery metal wound up his arm almost to his shoulder. He still had free movement. Dymlos' core crystal shone on the back of his hand like a large triangular ruby, and, flipping his palm over, he could see that the metal that joined in the center of his palm was shaped like a sideways figure eight. Infinity. He smiled at the spirit of his Swordian.  
  
"Good to have you back, old friend." Stahn said.  
  
~It's good to be back.~  
  
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Alithiel~ Yay! Another one bites the dust! Now that they have Dymlos back, the plot's going to get even more puzzling...but it'll be good, promise! Well, as always, read and review, and remember I love you all! Ja-ne! 


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